gone out of it, &c.1 What mean you, Sir, by this? said one. Do you account the mass so great a traitor, and would you burn your house if it were say not so, said N. F.; purse to build up I have not a But I tell you, seeing you put me to it, I would pull down the room and build it up again". manner. 69. From this they fell to temperance in diet, and desired his opinion of it: and desiring to have it of him in writing, I find they had it in this Temperance in diet is to eat only to necessity of nature and conveniency of employment, so as we may the better perform that which God calls us to the performance of: and he that eats to and for pleasure doth not exercise an act of temperance, but of human frailty. And he that voluntarily eats so, as thereby to become disabled for that which God requires of him, is intemperate. 70. And upon another time, some friends intimating to him their fears that the strictness of his life, of diet, and his fastings, watchings, &c., might impair his health and shorten his life, he made 1 The reply of the Marquis de Villena to Charles V., is reported by Guicciardini, lib. xvi. (viii. 242, Lond. 8vo. 1822). 2 He declared to Lenton "with a protestation That he did as verily believe the pope to be antichrist as any article of his faith. 'Wherewith,' says Lenton quaintly, 'I was satisfied and silenced'."-Peckard, 289. Not so the libeller: "therein if he spake from his heart, he much differed from the opinions of priest Shelford, priest Squire, Dr. Draffig, the red dragon of Arminians."-Hearne's Langtoft, cxxix. answer to this effect: that he knew that whosoever, upon what pretence soever, did by these means infringe their healths, did sore amiss and sin; for that it is found by daily experience that sickly, infirm, and weak healths make men subject to many ill passions and distempers, and the pains of the body disquiet the mind not a little, and make us not so apt and fit, neither to perform our duties to God in that station He hath appointed us, nor to execute our duty to our neighbour. 71. Many arguments N. F. used, fully to satisfy his friends in those his actions, in spareness of diet, fasting, watching, and that he that did abridge his health and life, by these means or otherwise, was a kind of felo de se, and so would be found in God's books at the last. And this here in this place may be upon this occasion declared, that, as he told his mother, she and others should see and find, that he should be more healthful by that course he held than he was in the former part of his life, and be able to perform more of his duty to God and that family. And it is known to all, that he never had so much health together and ability of bodily strength and mind, as in the last seven years of his life, when he was, as they thought, most strictest in these things,-for eighteen hours of the twenty-four of the day and night he spent in some employments or other of both pains and care; for he reserved usually but six hours for his sleep, diet, and the like needful actions in those kinds ;— that he grew seldom to sit by the fire but when on 2 some occasions, to satisfy others, he was invited;that he after his mother's death (though before, to satisfy her mind, he went to bed or lay down upon a bed some four hours) did only lie upon a board' with a white bear's skin under him, and wrapping himself in a great shag black frieze gown, and from nine to one (as you heard before): at which hour of one he rose up to prayer and meditation. These things I only here touch as a proof that he found no impairing of health or strength in the last seven years of his age, and the most strictness of his life, as some term it2. 1 Lessius thus briefly sums up the chief exercises of mortification: "Ex quibus perspicuum est, in sobrietate et abstinentia ad libidinem domandam longe majorem esse vim, quam in aliis corporis afflictationibus, ciliciis, disciplinis, chameunia, labore manuum."- Hygiast. § 60. Comp. Ducange, 8. VV. 2 Follows an account of one Mr. W. a kinsman of N. F. and trading man in the city, who was desirous to take upon him the ministry, but was dissuaded by N. F. and afterwards by Mr. Herbert, yet would needs make a trial, but after some trial, finding himself well advised, returned to his trade. It is entertaining and instructive enough, but very long.' BAKER. Mr. W. is probably Arthur Woodnoth, goldsmith of Foster lane, London, the executor of Herbert, who "besides his own bounty collected and returned most of the money that was paid for the rebuilding of that church, [Leighton]; he kept all the account of the charges, and would often go down to state them, and see all the workmen paid.”—Walton's Life of Herbert, xxxiv. Many of Mrs. Collett's letters are directed to her cousin Arthur, who seems often to have visited Gidding, and to have been regarded as a brother by the family. F 72. And let me here add some few lines in one of Mr. Herbert's letters to N. F., thus: MY EXCEEDING DEAR BROTHER, Although you have a much better paymaster than myself, even Him, Whom we both serve: yet I shall ever put your care of Leighton' upon my account and give you myself for it, to be yours for ever. God knows, I have desired a long time to do the place good, and have endeavoured many ways to find out a man for it. And now my gracious Lord God is pleased to give me you for the man I desired, for which I humbly thank Him, and am so far from giving you cause to apology about your counselling me herein, that I take it exceeding kindly of you. I refuse not advice from the meanest that creeps upon God's earth, no, not though the advice step so far as to be reproof3: much less 1 "Besides his parsonage [Bemerton], he had also a prebend in the church of Lincoln; which (I think because he lived far from, and so could not attend the duty of, that place) he would fain have resigned to Master Ferrar, and often earnestly sued to him to discharge him of it; but Master F. wholly refused, and diverted or directed his charity (as I take it) to the re-edifying of the ruined church of Leighton, where the corps [i.e. revenue. Pope's Life of Seth Ward, 143] of the prebend lay."-Barnabas Oley (Life of Herbert, cvi). Herbert's patron was Williams, bishop of Lincoln, (Hacket, ii. 42). 2 See Ferrar's preface to Herbert's Temple. 3 "There is one thing which I admire above all the rest : the right management of the fraternal duty of reproof is can I disesteem it from you, whom I esteem to be God's faithful and diligent servant, not considering you any other ways, as neither I myself desire to be considered. Particularly, I like all your addresses, and, for ought I see, they are ever to be liked. [So he goes on in the discourse of the building the church, in such and such a form, as N. F. advised, and letting N. F. know all he had, and would do, to get moneys to proceed in it; and concludes thus.] You write very lovingly, that all your things are mine. If so, let this of Leighton church the care be amongst the chiefest also: so also have I requested Mr. W.' for his part. Now God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you more and more, and so turn you all, in your several ways, one to the other, that ye may be a heavenly comfort, to His praise and the great joy of Your brother and servant in Christ Jesus, Postscript. GEORGE HERBERT. As I had written thus much, I received a letter from my brother, sir Henry H., of the methinks one of the most difficult offices of christian prudence. ... This author had not only got the courage to do this, but the art of doing this aright. There was not a man in his way, be he of what rank he would, but he wiped his mouth with a modest, grave, and christian reproof."-Oley, cvi, cvii. 1 Woodnoth. 2 Sir Henry Herbert the sixth brother, "who became a menial servant to the crown in the days of king James, and 4 |